HAMILTON HITS BACK WITH FAST TIME AT BRITISH GP

CARLOS Sainz outpaced local hero Lewis Hamilton in yesterday’s second practice at the British Grand Prix, his Ferrari edging the revived Mercedes by one tenth of a second on a rain and wind-affected day.

The Spaniard, recording his first sessiontopping time since the Australian Grand Prix in April, clocked a best lap in one minute and 28.952 seconds to beat the seven-time world champion by 0.163 seconds. Another Briton, Lando Norris, was third fastest for McLaren, ahead of world champion and series leader Max Verstappen of Red Bull and Charles Leclerc in the second Ferrari. Fernando Alonso was sixth for Alpine ahead of Sergio Perez in the second Red Bull, George Russell in the other Mercedes, Daniel Ricciardo and Aston Martin’s Lance Stroll.

For Hamilton it was a solid demonstration of the potential of his Mercedes.

After an embattled week during which he has rebutted offensive comments from various critics, including revelations of a vulgar attack by Nelson Piquet, this was a classic Hamilton riposte. On a blustery and cool day Alonso set an early fastest time for Alpine before Sainz and then Leclerc went top. Both Ferraris were running with more new parts for their power units. Hamilton reported the familiar bouncing problem that has blighted his and Mercedes’ season but after work on the rear of his car, jumped to second fastest, ahead of Norris and Verstappen For Hamilton, the support of his fan base had been important during a trying week of offensive criticism from those critics – including Piquet, Bernie Ecclestone and Jackie Stewart – who he described as “older voices” undeserving of the platform supplied by the media. Advised to retire by Stewart and insulted with a racial slur by Piquet, Hamilton had also acceded to the sport’s new enforcement of a ‘bling ban’ by removing a nose stud. It emerged on Friday that Piquet had not only used a racist slur, but had also used homophobic language in a further offensive comment during his appearance in a Brazilian podcast last November. Piquet was banned from the Formula One paddock and had his membership of the British Racing Drivers Club suspended on Thursday, when his comments were first reported. New footage of further comments by Piquet was revealed on social media yesterday. This included insulting remarks aimed at Keke and Nico Rosberg and both racist and homophobic slurs against Hamilton. To add to the public furore, as F1 unified in support of Hamilton, the local Northamptonshire police revealed it had uncovered a plot by protesters seeking to disrupt the race with a track invasion. Chief Inspector Tom Thompson said: “We have credi ble intelligence that a group are planning to disrupt the event on race day.” | AFP